The German games industry is on a roll, surging 6% to reach a €10 billion market size in 2023. This significant growth marks a major leap forward compared to the modest 1% increase seen in the previous year.

According to Gamesindustry.biz, to the latest figures released by the German Games Industry Association (Game) and based on data collected by Data.ai, the rise in revenue was driven by robust sales of game consoles, accessories, and in-app purchases

Mobile gaming, in particular, has seen substantial growth. Revenue from mobile games increased by 4% to €2.9 billion in 2023. This figure highlights the remarkable growth in the sector, nearly doubling since 2018 when mobile game revenues were estimated at €1.5 billion. The majority of this revenue, a striking 98%, came from in-app purchases.

In addition to the revenue rise, the number of mobile game players in Germany rose by 300,000, reaching a total of 24.6 million in 2023. A noteworthy demographic detail is that more than half of these players were women, making up 52% of the mobile gaming audience, compared to 48% men.

“Although we’ve been witnessing the unstoppable rise of the smartphone for almost a decade and a half, this is still an area of the game market that continues to grow,” said Game managing director Felix Falk. “Mobile games often attract people with little or no experience of playing video games.”

Falk also highlighted the diversity within the mobile gaming market, noting that it includes not just casual games for brief play sessions but also complex games and Esports titles. This variety, he said, is unique and one of the key strengths of game apps.

The report also stated that online gaming services made €43 million, and sales of individual games only contributed a small amount, €5 million, to the total revenue.

Overall, the German games market is showing steady growth and changing trends. With smartphones becoming more powerful and widely available, mobile gaming is set to keep expanding in Germany and globally.